PR freelancers and agencies need content commerce skills
You’ve probably noticed, especially around seasonal shopping peaks like Black Week, back-to-school or Christmas, how full DACH media are of price comparisons, tests, best-of lists and “top deals” – and how often these pieces lead straight into the shopping basket.
Exactly these peak phases are the stress test for a model that actually runs all year round: content commerce, in other words affiliate marketing in editorial environments.
Whether you like it or not:
For B2C providers – especially in consumer tech – affiliate in media is no longer optional. It’s a necessity if you want to be present at the decisive moment in the purchase decision.
And PR is the performance catalyst that decides whether your products show up in exactly these environments.
The numbers show how relevant this has become: the global affiliate market is estimated at around 18.5 billion US dollars in 2024 and is expected to grow to over 31 billion US dollars by 2031 (Affiliate Marketing Industry Statistics 2025). Studies by Rakuten/Forrester also show that 81% of brands use an affiliate programme and 84% of publishers are involved in affiliate marketing (Rakuten/Forrester study via OptinMonster).
In other words: a large part of today’s customer journey takes place in environments that are heavily refinanced via affiliate models – and you need to be visible there with your products.
Even more important in terms of visibility: commerce content – such as price comparisons, bargain alerts, best-of lists and product tests – answers extremely concrete buying questions. These are exactly the type of pieces people search for when they’re just one step away from a purchase – and they’re also ideal feeding material for search engines and AI assistants. I’ll go into more detail on this link between content commerce, SEO and LLMs further down.
What Is Content Commerce / Affiliate Marketing in Media?
In the media context, affiliate marketing – often also called content commerce – refers to a performance-based remuneration model:
- The editorial team (affiliate/publisher) recommends or tests a product.
- Affiliate links to the provider’s shop (merchant) are embedded in the article, test or guide.
- If a reader clicks the link and buys, the medium receives a commission, usually as a percentage of the net basket value.
This creates a win–win model:
- Media can monetise their content directly – important in times of declining traditional advertising revenues.
- Retailers only pay when there is success (sale or qualified lead).
- Readers get a curated overview: best-of lists, tests and guides instead of anonymous product listings.
One important point: in many statistics, retail accounts for over 40% of affiliate revenues. That shows how central B2C products – especially tech, lifestyle and general interest – are for this channel.
How Consumer Tech, General-Interest and Lifestyle Media Use Commerce Content (Affiliate)
Within media houses, the interplay between editorial content such as tests, best-of lists or guides and the partner links behind them is usually called commerce content or content commerce – technically it is classic affiliate marketing. Whenever we talk below about tests, buying guides or shopping features, we are essentially talking about commerce content that is monetised via affiliate models.
1. Consumer Tech: Tests, Benchmarks, Best-of Lists
In consumer tech media (e.g. CHIP, COMPUTER BILD, gaming and photo portals), affiliate has long been standard.
Typical formats:
- “The best smartphones 2025”
- “Noise-cancelling headphones on test”
- “The best monitors for the home office”
- “Gaming laptops compared”
The mechanics:
- Products are tested, measured and compared.
- Tables and product boxes contain purchase recommendations (“Our test winner”, “Best value for money”).
- Behind these are affiliate links to retailers such as Amazon, MediaMarkt, Saturn, manufacturer shops, etc.
What this means for you as a provider:
Tests and best-of lists are now reach, reputation lever and sales channel all at once.
2. General-Interest Portals: Buying Advice as Its Own Desk
Large general-interest portals in DACH – such as BILD, t-online, FOCUS online, SPIEGEL.de, FAZ.net – have built their own shopping or buying-advice desks:
- Shopping desks at tabloid and news portals – dedicated editors whose KPIs are directly linked to clicks, conversion and revenue.
- Test centres & labs at tech and general-interest brands – e.g. extensive test labs for electronics, household and leisure; the expensive tests are refinanced via affiliate.
- Buying-advice teams at quality media – specialised teams that know which product categories and price ranges convert well.
Here you see formats such as:
- “Gift ideas for tech fans”
- “The best coffee machines for families”
- “Affordable tablets for uni”
- “Smart home appliances that are genuinely worth it”
Almost always with clearly labelled affiliate links (“To the shop”, basket icons, partner notes).
3. Lifestyle & Inspiration: Storytelling that Leads Straight to a Purchase
The picture is similar in the lifestyle segment (fashion, beauty, interiors, travel, food):
- “Summer trainers 2025”
- “The best air fryers reviewed”
- “Home-office setups for small flats”
- “Beauty gadgets TikTok loves”
Again, the pattern is:
The editorial team curates products, shows combinations and gives concrete buying recommendations – with affiliate links to shops such as Zalando, About You, Douglas, furniture brands or travel portals.
🔎 Commerce Content, SEO and LLMs: Visibility Along the Search Intent
Commerce content is not just a revenue model, but also a visibility engine. Price comparisons, best-of lists, tests and guides are usually built around very specific search queries, for example:
- “best smartphone under 500 euro”
- “4K TV test winner 2025”
- “which smartwatch is compatible with iOS?”
- “cheap laptops for home office”
These are classic transactional or commercially oriented search intents: people who search like this are usually only one or two clicks away from buying. That’s why search engines reward this type of content – it gets above-average rankings and therefore a constant flow of qualified traffic.
At the same time, these commerce articles are increasingly becoming a kind of training and reference layer for LLMs. AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot have to rely on structured, comparative information when faced with questions like “Which smartphone under 500 euro is suitable for frequent travellers?” or “Which headphones are good for home-office calls?”. Content with clear criteria, transparent evaluations and explicit recommendations is ideal for this.
For you as a provider and for your PR, this means:
- If your products do not appear in these commerce pieces, you are simultaneously absent from SEO, from newsfeeds and from many AI answers.
- If, on the other hand, you are systematically present in relevant best-of lists, tests and guides, you benefit several times over: in organic search, in social distribution – and in the answers users get from LLMs when they ask for buying recommendations.
Why Publishers Love Affiliate – and What That Has to Do with Your PR
For media, affiliate is now a key business model:
- Predictable revenue: Evergreen guides and best-of lists that are continuously updated generate revenue over months or years.
- Scalability: A successful article can monetise fresh traffic again and again via SEO, newsletters and social pushes.
- Incentive structure: Teams and editors work with clear KPIs: click-through rate, conversion rate, revenue per article.
Especially in peak phases like Black Week, Christmas or back-to-school, conversion rates explode. But the mechanism itself runs 365 days a year:
Every guide and every best-of list is potentially an evergreen revenue channel.
The consequence:
Editorial teams develop content explicitly with revenue potential in mind.
And this is where your PR comes in.
The New Role of PR: From Story Supplier to Performance Catalyst
In the past: PR = story + quote + product info, success = clippings and reach.
Today, PR in a content-commerce context means:
You help media produce content that performs well – and at the same time ensure your products play a central role in it.
1. Deal Communication with Technical Transparency
Shopping desks think in performance:
- Does the product convert?
- Are there good prices, bundles, promotions?
- Is stock stable?
- Is there an affiliate programme that is well integrated?
Your PR pitch should therefore always include:
- Product & benefit (why this product, not just features)
- Deal & conditions (e.g. launch price, time-limited discount, bundle)
- Availability & stock (“available via X retailers”, “sufficient stock for Black Week”)
- Affiliate set-up:
- via which network (e.g. Awin, Tradedoubler, CJ, Admitad or an in-house programme),
- a rough idea of commission structure,
- special conditions for particular publishers, if available.
Important:
The editor must instantly see:
“Can I build content around this that will generate revenue – and is the technical integration straightforward?”
2. The Exclusive Deal as a PR Asset
An exclusive deal can be a game changer for shopping desks – and a PR asset for you:
- Exclusive voucher codes (“Only for readers of X”)
- Early access to certain bundles or colours
- Exclusive pre-launch promotion for loyal readers
This doesn’t just buy you attention, but often also:
- Top placements in lists (“Exclusive deal”, “Reader special”)
- Additional newsletter placements
- Social-media boosts from the media brand
PR should orchestrate this tool deliberately:
- Offers coordinated with sales, e-commerce and affiliate team
- Clear messages, clear time windows, clear tracking
3. Logistics and Availability as PR Topics
A deal that lands on the homepage of a major portal but fizzles out because of stock issues is frustrating for everyone.
That’s why PR today must, more than ever:
- liaise internally with logistics and e-commerce,
- ensure there is sufficient stock for products being pushed,
- flag early if supply chains wobble or models are being discontinued.
In seasonal peaks in particular, availability becomes a credibility issue:
If a medium presents a product as a top recommendation and the link ends in a “sold out” dead end, trust suffers – and with it the willingness to feature your brand prominently again in future.
4. PR as Moderator Between Editorial and Commerce
In many organisations there are:
- a classic editorial team (independent tests, context, journalistic standards)
- a commerce/shopping team (deals, lists, monetisation)
PR can build bridges here by:
- tailoring briefings so that they are editorially relevant and commercially attractive,
- knowing contacts on both sides – test editors as well as commerce editors,
- planning topics so tests are completed in time for peak phases and affiliate links go live on schedule.
5. Affiliate-Driven PR as a New Core Skill
For in-house PR teams, agencies and freelancers this means:
- You need a basic understanding of affiliate mechanics:
- networks
- commission models (CPS, CPL, hybrid)
- typical conversion drivers
- You have to think in commerce KPIs:
- Which products convert?
- Which price points work for which medium?
- You can reframe your own value:
- Not just “We achieved X clippings”,
- but: “We enabled X new commerce partnerships that influenced Y in revenue.”
This is a huge opportunity especially for freelancers:
Anyone who understands how to prepare a product story so that it works in a buying guide on t-online or a best-of list on CHIP – and who can also speak the technical language of affiliate managers – positions themselves very strongly in the market.
Concrete To-Dos for You as a Provider
1. Set Up a Clean Affiliate Infrastructure
- Do you have an attractive, long-term affiliate programme?
- Are commissions in line with the market and interesting for relevant publishers?
- Is it clear which networks you run through?
- Are there named contacts for media and major publishers?
Without a functioning affiliate programme you are practically invisible in content commerce – even with good PR.
2. Align PR, E-Commerce and Affiliate Management
- Build an internal “content commerce” trio: PR, e-commerce, affiliate management.
- Define together:
- target media in consumer tech, general interest, lifestyle,
- priority categories and hero products,
- deal strategies for Black Week, Christmas, back-to-school etc.
Going forward, PR should pitch deals, not just stories – but always embedded in a credible product narrative.
3. Media Mapping and Relationship Building
- Which DACH media in your categories are already heavily using affiliate?
- Where do you already have good relationships, where not yet?
- Which concrete formats exist (tests, guides, recommendation lists, deals sections)?
Then:
- Place test devices and samples strategically.
- Provide content kits: product data, comparison arguments, imagery, storylines.
- Nurture long-term relationships – instead of just showing up opportunistically for Black Week.
4. Make Launches “Affiliate-Ready”
Every launch today should serve three levels:
- Story
- Why is the product relevant?
- Which problems does it solve?
- Commerce fit
- Which pricing and packaging strategy suits the most important media?
- Are there attractive introductory deals?
- Tech & tracking
- Are affiliate links ready for launch?
- Are landing pages optimised and converting well?
5. Measure PR Success in a New Way
In addition to classic KPIs like reach and tone of coverage, in the medium term you should also measure:
- Share of your products in relevant best-of lists and buying guides
- Ranking position (test winner, best value, “editor’s recommendation”)
- Visibility around peaks (Black Week, Christmas)
- Together with performance teams: the impact of PR-driven placements on affiliate revenue and basket values.
Conclusion: You Can’t Do Without Affiliate – and the Right PR Helps You Get the Most Out of It
The media landscape in the DACH region has fundamentally changed:
- Content commerce has become one of the most important revenue channels.
- Shopping and buying-advice desks work explicitly KPI- and performance-driven.
- Consumer tech, lifestyle and general interest are the categories where this development is most visible.
For you as a B2C provider this means:
- Without a coherent affiliate programme, you simply won’t feature in a central part of the digital customer journey.
- Without affiliate-smart PR, your product might get a mention – but not necessarily a recommendation, and certainly not a high-performing placement.
Put simply:
Affiliate delivers measurable performance – PR makes sure the right products perform. If your PR strategy offers media not just a good story but also measurable revenue, you won’t just appear in tests, best-of lists and buying guides – you’ll appear at the top. And to achieve that, you need PR freelancers or agencies with content commerce competence.
About the author:
Thomas has 25 years of experience in PR for technology providers and always stays on top of new media, marketing, and PR trends.
